Abstract
In the history of the Persian art of insha' (the epistolary art for the official and private correspondence), the Mongol period (from the 13th century to the later 14th century) has been regarded as an age of stylistic regression between the Saljugid and the Timurid periods. This report, through the analysis of some Persian insha' manuals written in the Mongol period, throws light on the continuity and development of the Persian insha' tradition under the Mongol rule, and how it coexisted with the Mongol chancellery system.
In the insha' manuals of the Mongol period, it is observed that the way of Persian letter-writing had become more complicated since the Saljugid period. The structure of ideal letters explained in some manuals in the 14th century was more fractionalized than that in those of the 13th century and very similar to the style in the Timurid period. Even some forms that had been considered incorrect became predominant during the period in order to show extreme respect to distinguished addressees.
Even under the rule of the Mongol chancellery, the writers of insha' manuals kept the traditional forms of drafting official documents, concentrating on genres of documents which needed the literary skill of insha', like deeds of appointment to religious ranks. At the same time, for many literates, writing of insha' manuals was regarded as a suitable way to display their literary skill and to win their patrons' favor.
On the other hand, the insha' writers understood some concepts of the Mongol chancellery in the context of their own insha' tradition and accepted a portion of them positively. For example, the practice of Mongol edicts of writing words with holy or royal referents jutting into the upper margin was very agreeable for them because of its similarity to the convention of Persian letter writing that the name of honorable persons must be written in the upper part of letters. They adapted it by writing honarable words jutting into the right margin.
We can conclude that under the Mongol rule the Persian insha' tradition continued developing and prepared for the flowering of the art in the Timurid period.
